Feeding and suction tubes



Nov. 3, 1964 J. BARRON FEEDING AND SUCTION TU Filed July 17, 1962 BES INVENTOR.

fwwkss 6/4/8120 ATTORNEY United States Patent f 3,155,097 FEEDING AND SUCTION TUBES James Barron, 2535 Amberly, Birmingham, Mich. Filed July 17, 1962, Ser. No. 210,339 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-350) The use of nasal feeding tubes for the formula feeding of patients directly to the stomach has become an important technique in substitution for intravenous feeding of patients in instances wherein it is impossible, harmful or not desirable for the patient to take nourishment orally. In the technique of using nasal feeding tubes, the assurance of proper positioning of the feeding tube within the stomach of the patient, and the proper dispersion of the food formula within the stomach is important to the effectiveness of the treament.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of this invention is to provide an improved loop end type nasal feding tube that provides for a relatively even dispersal of a feeding formula or the like pumped through the feeding tube into the stomach.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and means for inserting a loop end type feeding tube through the nostril and esophagus into the stomach with assurance of properly locating the feeding loop of the feeding tube as desired in the stomach.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lostweight method and means for placing nasal feeding tubes through the nostril into the stomach.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and means for easily and properly placing nasal feeding tubes within the stomach with a minimum of discomfort to the patient.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view of a nasal tube of the invention inserted through the nasal passage and esophagus into the patients stomach prior to the release of the gravity balloon employed.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view part in section and part in elevation of the feeding loop and gravity balloon of the improved nasal feeding tube and method of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the feeding loop at the lower end of the nasal feeding tube wrapped in a very thin pliable dissolvable plastic sheet to aid in the insertion of the nasal feeding loop and tube through the patients nostril and esophagus into the stomach.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the particular embodiment of the feeding and suction tube of the invention disclosed for illustrative purposes is of a type primarily employed as a feeding tube; however, other types of feeding and suction tubes may be used in practicing the lost-weight method of placement thereof into the patients stomach.

The feeding tube 16 is preferably formed of a transparent plastic tubing which has a loop 11 formed on the lower end thereof, the extreme upper end of the said loop 11 being suitably formed and heat sealed to or otherwise anchored at 110 in abutment with one side of the main feeding tube 10 at the beginning or top of the said loop 11. The sides of the feeding tube 10 forming the loop 11 are suitably apertured at 12 below the top of the loop 11 and above the U-shaped bottom 111 thereof as best shown in FIG. 2.

The extreme upper end of the said feeding tube 143 is preferably provided with a suitable connector 13 which is connected to a suitable feeding pump or the like during patient feeding periods. The said feeding pump is not shown inasmuch as it is not a part of the instant invention.

3,155,097 Patented Nov. 3, 1964 A gravity balloon 20 preferably of plastic partially filled with mercury or the like 200, and has a loop or eye 21 at the upper end thereof. The said balloon 20 is preferably suspended just below the bottom of the loop 11 of the feeding tube 10 by such means as a thin strong suture 22 which is threaded singly through the eye 21 of the gravity balloon 20 and extends double through a selected aperture 120 near the top of the loop 11 and double through the remainder of the feeding tube 10 with both ends 229 thereof projecting from the connector 13 at the extreme upper end of the said feeding tube 10.

A patient P is preferably intubated with feeding tube 10 including its loop 11 and gravity balloon 20 while in a sitting or somewhat torso-elevated position, and the loopballoon 11-20 thereof most generally comes to rest centrally in the stomach S, as indicated in FIG. 1 which generally is the desired position. The balloon is then released by pulling one end 220' of the suture 22 until the said suture leaves the eye 21 of the said gravity balloon 20. The entire suture 22 is of course removed from the feeding tube 10. By the patient lying on his or her right side the gravity balloon 20 will then move to and then through the duodenum D. V

If for particular reasons determined by the physician or surgeon, it is desirable to have the loop 11 of the feeding tube 10 located at least temporarily on either side of the patients stomach S, then the patient is required to lie on the selected side until the loop 11 and the gravity balloon 20 travels thereto, and then the gravity balloon 20 is re leased when and as deemed advisable.

Under normal circumstances, the gravity balloon 20, feeding tube loop 11 and feeding tube 10 may be inserted through a nostril N of the patient P, through his or her esophagus E and into the patients stomach S using a petroleum jelly or other suitable lubricant. However, some patients are more difiicult to intubate, and, it has been found that the wrapping of the loop 11 of the feeding tube 1% with a very thin dissolvable plastic sheet 15 as shown in FIG. 3 is of great aid in intubation. In FIG. 3, the dis solvable plastic sheet 15 only surrounds the loop 11 and holds it together. However, it is obvious, although not shown, that the dissolvable plastic may extend partially or fully over the gravity balloon 20. The dissolvable plastic element is dissolved either slowly by normal stomach fluids or by passing a fluid down said feeding tube.

In instances where the loop 11 is wrapped by the dissolvable plastic sheet 15, the dissolving of the said dissolvable plastic sheet 15 releases the loop 11 from its compact-ed narrow position shown in FIG. 3 to its expanded loop position shown in FIG. 2.

The ultimate shape of the loop 11, namely long narrow oval as shown in FIG. 2, or wider oval or the like, not shown, would depend upon just what form of abutment and seal is used at at the top of the loop 11. Thus, by changing the angle of securement of the top of the loop 11 to the side of the feeding tube 10' will determine the ultimate shape assumed by the loop 11 in the patients stomach after intubation. In using either a long narrow oval loop 11 as shown in the drawing or a wider oval loop, it may be contracted to a relatively long fiat oval by the use of the dissolvable plastic sheet 15 for convenience and comfort of the patient during intubation. Obviously, if intubation is extremely difficult, a straight feeding tube may be employed having a plurality of apertures therein at the lower end thereof.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and details of the various elements of the invention and the method steps, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A feeding tube for formula feeding of a patient directly to the stomach after intubation through the patients nostril comprising a small diameter flexible plastic tube having a plurality of apertures through the walls thereof adjacent its lower end,

a sealed pliable gravity balloon partially filled with a heavy fluid including an eye at the upper end thereof, a suture threaded singly through said eye suspending said balloon in depending relationship subjacent the said lower end of said plastic tube, said suture extending double through a selected aperture in the wall of said tube and through said flexible plastic tube with the ends of said suture extending out of the upper end of said tube,

the said balloon being releasable from said tube after intubation responsive to pulling said suture by one of its ends from said plastic tube.

2. A feeding tube for formula feeding of a patient directly to the stomach after intubation through the patients nostril comprising a small diameter flexible plastic tube including a loop at the lower end thereof having a plurality of apertures through the walls of said loop above the bottom 2 thereof, a sealed pliable gravity balloon partially filled with a heavy fluid including an eye at the upper end thereof,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 701,521 6/02 Studley 128--239 1,899,781 2/33 Twiss 128350 2,286,462 6/42 Chafin 128350 2,464,933 3/49 Kaslow l28-276 2,489,067 11/49 Wild 128-276 2,508,690 5/50 OTHER REFERENCES Wild: The Design and Management of Long Intestinal Tubes, from Surgery, vol. 25, No. 5 May 1949, pp. 779-813.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

Schrnerl 128276 

1. A FEEDING TUBE FOR FORMULA FEEDING OF A PATIENT DIRECTLY TO THE STOMACH AFTER INTUBATION THROUGH THE PATIENT''S NOSTRIL COMPRISING A SMALL DIAMETER FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBE HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THROUGH THE WALLS THEREOF ADJACENT ITS LOWER END, A SEALED PLIABLE GRAVITY BALLOON PARTIALLY FILLED WITH A HEAVY FLUID INCLUDING AN EYE AT THE UPPER END THEREOF, A SUTURE THREADED SINGLY THROUGH SAID EYE SUSPENDING SAID BALLOON IN DEPENDING RELATIONSHIP SUBJACENT THE SAID LOWER END OF SAID PLASTIC TUBE, SAID SUTURE EXTENDING DOUBLE THROUGH A SELECTED APERTURE IN THE WALL OF SAID TUBE AND THROUGH SAID FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBE WITH 